STRIKERS TORTURED IN SPAIN
On September 26 the Kennedy administration and the fascist <2 ‘regime of dictator Franco issued a joint declaration announcing ~ -the renewal of American military bases in Spain for another five vears.. —
vane
Among other items in the declaration:
"The United States Government reaffirms its recognition of the importance of Spain to the security, well-being and development of the Atlantic and Mediterranean areas. The two Governments recognize that the security and integrity of both Spain and the United States are necessary for the common security."
The document provides for "appropriate" action in case of a "threat to either country." The "two Governments" state that they have "reaffirmed their friendship and mutual trust, and their determination to establish a close co-operation in order to strengthen the common defense. . . They have reaffirmed their recognition of the common dangers, and their determination to maintain a close working relationship on all matters affecting their common interests and security.”
' The blood with which this pact of mutual understanding and friendship was signed was provided by the long-suffering Spanish workers. An indication of conditions in Spain can be gathered from the report published below. The source of the report, in underground circles in the fascist-ruled country, asks that it be given the widest possible publicity. It deals with the repression in Asturias where the miners are on strike.
+ ++
The principal head of the repression is a captain of the Civil Guard, Fernando Caro, 28, a native of Melilla /Moroccg/, son of an army colonel, who until recently was a captain of the Civil Guard in Malaga. It was because of his talent as a torturer that he was transferred to Asturias. One of his assistants, well-known for his cruelty, is Corporal Perez, a Galician.
On September 3 at four o'clock in the afternoon, a miner, Rafael Gonzalez, 36, died at police headquarters in Sama de Langreo following torture.
The same day at the same place another miner, Silvino Zapico,. 34, was castrated (presumably by the system in general use of burning the hair and skin in the genital area). He is in a hospital in grave condition. This miner was accused of
- being a “Communist." His wife, similarly accused, was submitted to having her head. shaved.
Still another miner, whose name we have not yet learned, is also in the hospital in: grave concition from burns in the genital area..
: ° . 24 . GQ ; ' :
A miner, likewise unidentified, was sent to a mental hospital, suffering from a nervous ‘breakdown cue to torture.
Vicente Baragana, who lives in the Lada, a quarter of Langreo,. was reduced to:sexual impotency by burning of the testicles during a torture session. (This may refer to the unidentified miner mentioned above.) . Ss
Alfonso X., a former watchman at the Fondon mine, retired because of silicosis, who is at present a cashier in an insurance. company, Previsora Bilbaino, was.savagely beaten during the Lo strikes last. year. This year a after his arr rest he was tied up -° Ir tv tT BharehewmbS atten: by CoBpowal ” Pérez ii the presence of his"wifevr’”
The wife was incapable of enduring the sight. She attacked the corporal.
- Leaving the unconscious husband, the corporal. beat the woman brutally. She is at present in prison in Oviedo, her head shaved like many other wives of Miners.
5 ‘Her husband was released later in the day to a certain Senen in bad condition. After taking the victim home, Senen, a fellow worker, called a doctor. The tortured body of the worker was in such shape that the doctor said he scarcely knew where to- begin.
Antonio japico of Lada was brutally manhandled. His cheek-
bone was broken and his’ mouth torn open curing torture. He is in the hospital. a
Jeronino Fernandez Terente, married and father of a son, and Jesus Ramo Teva, together with ten other miners are now in “the Carabanchel prison at Madrid after having been brutally mistreated.
Everardo Castra, married and the father of three boys, is in La Cadellada, a provincial mental hospital, following the ferocious torture inflicted on hin. (This may be the person un- ‘identified epove.) He had climbed up the rainspouts of the Duro Felguera Company to paint the slogan, "The people will avenge a ner Wueaget yes Franco, MULOGLEL + hn oe ayn oe enema oe age
vali’
Surpised by the Civil Guard while he was doing this, he was ‘ordered to climb down. ‘The miner had the coolness to reply, "Wait until I finish." He was terribly beaten.
Tina Martinez, who lives in the quarter of La Jocara in Sama de Lancgreo, was tortured and her head shaved, Her husband has been in prison since the strikes last year.
Juan Alberdi of Lada was arrested along with another miner nicknamed "Chocolatina." To amuse himself Captain Fernando Caro ordered them to fight each other. Since the fight, naturally, was not carried on in earnest, the torturers of the Civil Guard took over and completed the beating which the two miners had sought to evade. Later they were brought before Captain Caro who ironically reproached them, "But what beasts you are to beat each other like this!"
A woman, whose name has not yet been learned, tried to escape the ill treatment they were preparing to inflict on her at police headquarters in Sama de Langreo, by revealing that she was pregnant. Captain Fernando Caro punchec her with all his force in the stomach, shouting, "One Communist lessi"
It should be added that this captain wears sport clothes to “work more comfartably during his “interrogations.” co
Out of the miners-who have been arrested, the whereabouts of more than five hundred is unknown. Some sixty miners of Hullera Espanola in the Aller basin asked for death in order to end the torture and bad treatment,
On September 10 twenty miners were arrested at the Camocha mine in Gijon. They were brought to police headquarters where they were beaten until three of them lost consciousness.
Maria del Rosario Garcia, 55, was arrested for lodging a miner, her brother-in-law. On being asked where she was being taken, they replied, "First to police headquarters and then to jail. a
If companies not on strike hire a striker, they are punished by a first fine of 1,000 pesetas, a second of 6,000. On the third offense the place is * padlocke
Captain Fernando Caro utilizes an "original" system to select his victims. He calls in the watchmen of a mine and orders each one to bring in five men to go to work Since they Generally show up the next day without any recruits, the captain asks them whom they went to see. The watchmen report the names of the miners who did not respond and Captain Caro orders these
men to be brought in immeciately and then begins the session of torture.
On Saturday morning September 4 some 50 per cent of the miners went down into the Camocha mine. Once inside the workings they ceciced that rather than come out and expose then- | selves to the police repression they would stay in the mine, but “without working. Although they had made no preparations for this tactic, most of the miners agreed to accept the collective decision. They stayed in all day and nizht. The demonstration did not end until Sunday morning. The police reaction to this move is not yet known.
"In recent weeks a wave of -violence hes swept the Asturian basin," declares a leaflet signed by "A group in the trade-union opposition." An Asturian correspondent writes, "The people are both angered and terrorized." _ Our informants add that the above report barely indicates what is going on in Asturias.
This is the information that has reached us up to now. Naturally there is some lack of precision in details in view of the conditions under which nevs must be gathered. All the reports end with appeals for national and international. golidar-ity, asking in particular that the whole civilized world denounce the atrocities being committed in Asturias.
NEW